Alpine chipmunk

Alpine chipmunk
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Sciuridae
Genus:	Tamias
Species:	T. alpinus
Binomial name
Tamias alpinus Merriam, 1893
Synonyms
Neotamias alpinus Merriam, 1893

The alpine chipmunk (Tamias alpinus) is a species of chipmunk native to the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada of California.

Description

They have a brown forehead with three white stripes on their cheeks and four on their backs. They weigh around 80 grams.

Distribution

Alpine chipmunks only live in high Sierra Nevada, from Yosemite National Park in the north, to Olancha Peak in the south. They have been observed at altitudes from around 2,300 meters (7,500 ft) to 3,900 meters (12,800 ft), though they rarely occur below 2,500 meters (8,200 ft).

Behavior and ecology

The alpine chipmunk feed on the seeds of sedges, grasses, and pines in their namesake alpine zone. They generally eat their food on the ground. They do not generally require a source of water other than food, but will use it given the opportunity.

They nest in crevices between rocks, taking advantage of the micro-climatic conditions (i.e. higher temperatures) that exist there. Their young are born in June and July, in litters of 3-6.

They are considered diurnal, though they exhibit some nocturnal activity during the summer. They hibernate from November through April, frequently awakening to eat.